Diva-Dombivli villagers oppose business district project along bullet train corridor

Residents from more than 10 villages in Dativali along the upcoming bullet train corridor have launched protests against the Thane Municipal Corporation’s (TMC’s) 1300-acre Central Business District (CBD) planned around the station, claiming that they weren’t consulted before the project was advanced

THANE: Residents from more than 10 villages in Dativali along the upcoming bullet train corridor have launched protests against the Thane Municipal Corporation’s (TMC’s) 1300-acre Central Business District (CBD) planned around the station, claiming that they weren’t consulted before the project was advanced.

Residents from more than 10 villages in Dativali along the upcoming bullet train corridor have launched protests against the Thane Municipal Corporation’s (TMC’s) 1300-acre Central Business District (CBD) planned around the station, claiming that they weren’t consulted before the project was advanced. (PICTURE FOR REPRESENTATION)

The villagers claim that the project has been pushed forward without holding talks with them, even though they stand to lose their agricultural land, homes and long-standing livelihoods. They warn that they will not allow any development until detailed discussions are held with them, regarding compensation, rehabilitation, and employment opportunities. They insist that since they have been living and farming there for generations, the government cannot abruptly render them landless and homeless.

They also pointed out that they have already surrendered large portions of their land for major infrastructure projects earlier, including the Central Railway’s Diva and Dombivli lines, the Vasai–Diva–Panvel route, the Delhi–JNPT Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and the bullet train corridor itself. “The government cannot take us for granted every time a new project comes up,” they said.

Ramakant Madhvi, former Thane deputy Mayor, told HT, “We will not allow the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), the implementing authority, to acquire our land for the business growth centre. Before planning such a massive project, TMC should have consulted the project-affected persons and explained how they will be compensated, rehabilitated, and provided jobs once the project comes up.”

She added that a delegation of affected farmers and residents visited the TMC headquarters on November 17 to submit their objections.

Despite repeated calls and messages, Manish Joshi, Deputy Commissioner, TMC, could not be reached for a comment.

As construction of the high-speed rail corridor progresses, the TMC is preparing plans to develop a 1,300-acre Central Business District around the upcoming Dativali HSR station in Thane, under the guidance of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The project covers Dativali, Mhatardi, Betawade, Agasan villages located within TMC limits and Ayre, Kopar, Bhopar, Nandivali, Panchanand, Katai, Usarghar villages falling within the limits of the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation. The proposed hub aims to create a major commercial and economic centre along the high-speed rail corridor that “would be better than the Bandra Kurla Complex” in Mumbai.